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(No Model.)

G, E. SHEPARD."

LETTER FILE. No. 286,283. Patented Oct. 9, 1883..

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STATES GEORGE E. SHEPARD, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

I LETTER-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,233, dated October 9, 1883.

Application filed December 1, 1882. (No model To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SHEPARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Letter-Files, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in files for letters and bills, in which the letters and bills are deposited between leaves of paper or other suitable material, provided with a suitable case or frame for holding the same; and it has for its obj cats to provide a duplex file formed by folding one continuous strip Orwebbing,so that the openings on one side of the web between the leaves shall be separated by the thickness of the web from the openings form ed on the other side, the openings on each side having letters or other symbols to distinguish the contents, in connection or combination with a peculiarly-constructed case or frame for containing said duplex file and securing the contents. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the file contained and held in the case. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the file out of the case and with the folds or leaves partly opened to show the manner of folding the webbing.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The frame shown in Fig. l is composed of the bed-plate A, with end pieces, 13, attached thereto, connected on top by the cross-bar O, fastened to said endpieces. The end pieces are each provided with a perpendicular groove, D, in which rest and slide up and down the ends of the presserbar E, which is continually pressed downward by the ends of spring F, which is attached at its middle to cross-bar O. A web or strip of paper, cloth, or other suitable material or materials is folded together so as to form theleaves G G G G G, &c. joined at their opposite edges, as shown in Fig. 2, partly open or unfolded, the remaining leaves (not marked) being closed or folded more close- 1y together. The folds opening on one side, as G and G, may be used for letters, and the folds opening on the other side, as G and G, maybe used for bills. Each opening on either side is provided with a suitable tag, as a b c, &c., used to open the fold, and which may be distinguished by a letter or other symbol to indicate the contents of that particular fold. The tags range along down the edges of the folds, as is usual with index-letters, so that one shall not obscure the view of another. WVhen the web is folded together and the folds closed, it may be placed in the frame, as shown in Fig. 1, and 6 the presser-bar E will serve to keep the folds compressed sufficiently close together to prevent the contents of the folds from slipping out. The folded web may be easily removed or inserted in the frame by raising with one hand. the presser-bar E and slipping the web out or in; but for general use the contents of either side of the file are accessible, and may be added to without removing it from the frame, which is of the greatest utility, as the utility of a letter-file depends almost wholly upon its convenience and ready accessibility.

I am aware that a bill-file with a series of interleaves formed of a single sheet and folded in alternate directions, and a paper-file com posed of a base, fixed end, sides, adjustable follower, with a hinged top section. and a spring,

\Vitnesses: V J OHN T. BOOTH, GEO. A. MOsHEE. 

